One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

I'm sorry to say that overall mental health care has not really improved much since the 1960s. If anything, it's arguably gotten worse since the budget cuts of the 90s that continue until today. :(

Michael T

Agreed! The novel is amazing.. thank you for mentioning Saul Zaentz! His film legacy was amazing

RFK Fan

To add a little more to the backstory shared by RFK Fan, Kirk Douglas optioned the film rights for Ken Kesey's 1962 novel, and as he stated, he wanted to star as McMurphy. However, by the time the film was being shot, he was nearly 60 and considered too old for the role. His son Michael, ended up being the co-producer along with Saul Zaentz, a bay area record executive. Most of his money came from the ownership of Fantasy records, which owned the rights to Creedence Clearwater Revivals music. (An exceptionally bad contract for the band which was litigated for years between Zaentz and the songwriter of the band's hits, John Fogerty). Zaentz became a big Hollywood producer after this film, also winning best picture for Amadeus and The English Patient. He produced other notable films like The Mosquito Coast and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. He also owned the film rights to the Lord of the Rings and produced an animated version in 1978. The rights were sold after his death and after much more litigation resulted in the live action films directed by Peter Jackson. If you are interested in the legal wrangling that goes into music or film rights, both are fascinating rabbit holes to explore. I do recommend reading the novel, which is told from the Chief's point of view.

Hollis Hamilton

I respect your reasoning. If we get Dog Day Afternoon I won't complain, but there are some movies that I'd rather see. Here are some of them. What about Gandhi (1982)? A masterpiece of a film about a truly great person and not a single reaction to it yet. Winner of eight Oscars. It's not that serious that I'd fast until we get a reaction, but wouldn't it be great for Ames to check out this classic? Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) is certainly one of the best legal dramas ever and only two reactions to it at the moment. Isn't that illegal Your Honor? Or perhaps the seven Oscar winner Patton (1970). One of the best biopics around with an Oscar winning scrreenplay by none other than Francis Ford Coppola and worth watching for George C. Scott alone. Doesn't that bastard deserve some love? Bonnie & Clyde (1967) deserves some love too doesn't it? I mean Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway and Gene Hackman. Only one reaction to it at the moment. If that doesn't make you want to rob a bank then I don't know what is. The Cheap Detective (1978) since Ames has seen Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. There isn't a single reaction to it yet. It would be best to check it out while Ames still remembers what happened in the movies it spoofs. Of course I'd love to see Das Boot too, but there are now plenty of reactions to it so I'm not in a hurry. In fact I'm more interested in seeing a reaction to Downfall (2004) if were are talking aobut German films. These are just some films I'd like to see and the list of movies I'd like Ames to check out is endless, but here are just a few of them.

Teemu Laitinen

Toc